West Coast Fever part ways with goal attack Nat Medhurst

Camera IconNat Medhurst won’t be at the Fever next year.Picture: Nic Ellis

Nat Medhurst’s career at West Coast Fever has come to an end after the club opted not to commit to the option for a third year on the gun goal attack’s contract.

The West Australian understands Medhurst was blindsided by the decision and had been planning to play with Fever in 2019 until she was advised of the decision by coach Stacey Marinkovich yesterday afternoon.

Medhurst came to Perth from the Queensland Firebirds ahead of the 2014 season and became a dual MVP and has also twice held the captaincy.

The 34-year-old committed to the club when a raft of other star players walked out at the end of the 2016 season ahead of the start of Super Netball.

Medhurst, who was a fixture in the Australian Diamonds team for a decade, combined brilliantly with boom recruit Jhaniele Fowler in 2018 as West Coast rose from just two wins to the grand final.

She attended the club’s award night on Wednesday where she finished fifth in the MVP count.

But the club has chosen to prioritise retaining Fowler and locking away young talent such as Jess Anstiss and Courtney Bruce, rather than keeping Medhurst for a sixth season.

Collingwood and Medhurst’s original club, the Adelaide Thunderbirds, look to be the most likely new homes for the South Australian, but it is understood she is still coming to terms with her departure from Fever.

Verity Charles, Ingrid Colyer, Shannon Eagland, Anstiss, Bruce and Fowler have already been announced as re-signings from the 2018 squad of 10.